PDP-10 (was Re: EDSAC on your desk.)

From: Eric Smith <eric_at_brouhaha.com>
Date: Wed Sep 23 20:25:05 1998

ard_at_p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
> That's apart from the fact that serious DEC hackers have automatic
> continuity testers, at least for 36 pin flip-chip cards. 2 cards you plug
> into the backplane and it'll tell you what's linked to what. Very useful
> for tracking down backplane faults.

I can see that being simple and common for bussed signals, which are
prevalent on the Unibus, Omnibus, and Qbus. But the KL10 backplane has
no bussed logic signals. The backplane has some etched traces, but is
mostly machine-wrapped, and critical timing signals are wired with coax.

If a random wire in the backplane managed to get nicked on the corner of
a wire-wrap pin, I still assert that it will take a *long* time to find it.

Cheers,
Eric
Received on Wed Sep 23 1998 - 20:25:05 BST